iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.2 Update: What You Need to Know

We continue to get device specific questions about the iOS 8.1.2 update, Apple’s latest in a long line of iOS 8 upgrades. Today, we want to take a look at what you need to know about the iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.2 update, a small but important update that’s currently available to those that own Apple’s 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6.

When the iPhone 6 first arrived back in September, it was running Apple’s iOS 8.0 update, the update that the company pushed out for older devices a few days prior. Right off the bat, iPhone 6 users started complaining about a multitude of iOS 8 problems including landscape issues, Bluetooth issues, problems with Wi-Fi, problems with apps, and more.

In the past three months, Apple and its developer partners have worked to alleviate many of those iOS 8 problems though a series of bug fix updates. Third-party developers have released a mountain of iOS 8 and iPhone 6 compatibility updates meant to shore up the app experience while Apple’s released a host of iOS 8 bug fixers aimed at squashing iOS 8 bugs.

First, the iPhone 6 was treated to the iOS 8.0.1 update. When that didn’t work, Apple rolled out iOS 8.0.2. Shortly after that roll out, Apple delivered its massive iOS 8.1 update, an update that brought Apple Pay to owners of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Apple didn’t stop there. In the weeks after iOS 8.1’s arrival, it pushed out iOS 8.1.1 and more recently, iOS 8.1.2. iOS 8.1.2, like iOS 8.1.1, is a small bug fix update.

Apple’s iOS 8 track record has some people nervous about making the move to iOS 8.1.2. It doesn’t help that there are iPhone 6 users complaining about perceived iOS 8.1.2 problems. With all of that in mind, we want to take a final, detailed look at the iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.2 update as we head into the holidays and into the new year.

Solid Performance

We’ve been using the iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.2 extensively on several different variants over the past week and a half. We’ve outlined our experiences in a full review but we think our conclusions are worth reiterating to iPhone 6 users.

iOS 8.1.2 continues to deliver solid performance on the iPhone 6. Battery life is still very good, Wi-Fi is still performing well, Bluetooth and LTE are both working fine, and the device is as fast as ever. We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again. iOS 8.1.2, in our eyes, is the most stable version of iOS 8 that we’ve come across. At least for the iPhone 6.

Typically, we’ll run into major problems or bugs in the first week or so. So far, we haven’t seen any major issues on any of our iPhone 6 variants. We haven’t seen, or heard, about any major iOS 8.1.2 problems and the problems that we have heard about are all isolated issues impacting a small number of iPhone 6 users.

We’re still holding firm. iOS 8.1.2, for most iPhone 6 users, is worth the install. Particularly those of you who are having issues on iOS 8.1.1 and below. This is an update that we think is totally worth it. It’ll fix tons of issues if you’re on iOS 8.0. or iOS 8.0.2 and it will probably fix a lot of problems if you’re on something newer.

We’re confident that the performance is going to hold up too. So while some are saying that iOS 8.1.2 will “anger users” we’ve been having a completely different experience. On the iPhone 6 at least.

Fixes One Major Issue

This needs to be said as well. If you own the iPhone 6 and you’ve run into a problem where the phone gets stuck in landscape mode when transitioning from portrait, you probably want to download the iOS 8.1.2.

We were running into this problem on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, primarily on the iPhone 6 after the arrival of iOS 8.1 and iOS 8.1.1, and it was extremely disruptive. We have not seen the issue pop up once after getting the iOS 8.1.2 update on board. Zero. Zilch. It’s gone and hopefully, it will never come back because that was a tough issue to deal with.

Can’t Drop Down to iOS 8.1.1

In case you missed it, you can no longer drop down to iOS 8.1.1. Apple stopped signing off on the update earlier this week which means that if you upgrade to iOS 8.1.2, you’re going to be stuck there. For many of you, that won’t be a problem. iOS 8.1.2 is a stable update on the iPhone 6. For others, it could present problems, especially if you move to iOS 8.1.2 and the device exhibits problems.

More iOS 8 Updates on Horizon

We know there are some iPhone 6 owners dealing with problems and some of you can’t find a permanent fix for those problems. So, you’re probably hoping that Apple releases a new iOS 8 update in the near future. Well, there’s some good news and some bad news afoot. Let’s start with the good news.

The good news is that Apple has at least one new iPhone 6 iOS 8 update in development. That update is iOS 8.2, an update that just reached its third beta yesterday and an update that will deliver Apple Watch support and new HeathKit features to owners of the iPhone 6. It also has the potential to squash lingering iOS 8 problems.

There are also rumors regarding a new iOS 8.1.3 update. iOS 8.1.3 isn’t confirmed but it does look like Apple is testing the software ahead of a potential release in the future, ahead of iOS 8.2. If Apple does release an iOS 8.1.3 update for the iPhone 6, there’s a good chance that it could have some new bug fixes on board for iOS 8 problems. Now, for the bad news.

We still don’t know when any of these updates will arrive. With the holidays coming up, you can only imagine that Apple will likely push these releases into the new year. And with the iOS 8.2 update so heavily tied into the Apple Watch, there’s a good chance it will arrive in February or March alongside Apple’s new hardware.

Those of you with a jailbroken iPhone 6 should know that there’s a very good chance that Apple engineers will work to plug up the security exploits used by the Taig iOS 8.1.2 jailbreak. So if you’re thinking about jailbreaking and you want to get Apple’s latest software on board, you might want to think about making your move in the near future. You may only have a few weeks.

iOS 8.1.2 Tips

Now is also a good time to remind you that we’ve put together a number of iOS 8.1.2 tips aimed at iPhone users thinking about making the move to iOS 8.1.2 and iPhone 6 users already on iOS 8.1.2. These are not meant for power users. Instead, they’re meant to help those who moved to the iPhone for the first time after picking up the iPhone 6.